Swampy and fellow HS2 protester finally evicted from underground labyrinth in Wendover

Two anti-HS2 activists, including the infamous Swampy, who have been evading eviction from a protest camp in Wendover for almost a month by living in tunnels underground, have finally succumbed to security teams.

Known as W.A.R, standing for Wendover Active Resistance, the camp was setup two years ago in Jones Hill Wood, running alongside the A413. Needless to say, the land is on HS2’s construction route.

In a dawn raid on Sunday 10^th October this year, HS2 security teams began destroying the camp and evicting its inhabitants.

But five of them, including Dan Hooper, better known to many as long-time activist Swampy, proved more elusive. After a week of avoiding the bailiffs via a 40-foot tower-like structure, they went underground, digging a labyrinth of tunnels.

A remarkable subterranean chase ensued, the activists using their seven-day head start to their advantage. Before it was over, they would reach 31 feet below the surface, believed to be the deepest protest tunnel ever built in the UK.

Though three of the five original tunnellers were caught up with last week, two held out until Saturday 13^th November. They were Dan and fellow protester, Satchel. They had spent four weeks in the tunnels.

Explaining his actions to Bucks Radio, Dan Hooper, who coincidentally was brought up nearby in Holmer Green, said: “It’s absolutely the best way to stop HS2 or any of these outrageous projects.”

Describing what it was like living underground for 28 days, he told us: “I quite like it really! It’s a bit dusty at times, you breathe in a lot of dust, but the way the white chalk reflects back at you, I’m not religious, but it feels almost holy.”

With the eviction team digging 24 hours a day, the protesters didn’t get a lot of sleep, needing to work around the clock to stay one step ahead of their pursuers.

On the relationship between hunter and prey in such a confined and irregular space, Dan said: “We have quite a good rapport actually. It’s a professional relationship. There’s no violence or animosity, we just both get on with it.”

Ultimately, with HS2 security teams having more man-power and better digging equipment, it was only a matter of time before the game was up for Swampy and Satchel.

Rather matter-of-factly, Dan said: “They got us in the end. And of course, when you’re done, you’re done. We just complied and came out. There’s no point fighting.”

We spoke to 48-year-old Dan not long after his underground ordeal had ended, and clearly he was keen to get some rest, but we had to ask him what he thought of UK Cabinet Minister Alok Sharma’s suggestion at COP26 that bankers and board room members are the new Swampy’s.

Partly laughing and partly sounding frustrated, he replied: “Well I’m not flattered! I’m absolutely outraged that my old nickname should be bandied about like that. I’d like to invite him for a meeting so we could discuss what the Government could do if they’re really serious about stopping climate change, instead of giving it the lip service it has at the moment. If they were serious, they’d have to stop projects like HS2.”

HS2 (High Speed 2) is a 155-mile high speed rail line being built to connect London to Manchester and Leeds via Birmingham.
Originally estimated to cost between £30.9 billion - £36 billion in 2010, it is now expected to cost over £100 billion.

A HS2 spokesperson provided the following statement: "By providing a cleaner, greener way to travel, HS2 will help cut the number of cars and lorries on our roads, cut demand for domestic flights, and help the country’s push to reduce carbon emissions.

"Instead of wasting their time and public money on often violent and disruptive protest, we would urge anyone who cares about the environment to support this project."

[PICTURE BELOW: HS2 protesters life underground]

Listen to Swampy here: